It feels great to be checking off so many things on my pre-travel To Do list, but wow, there are still so many things to do in the next four days. As far as actual travel preparations there are only a handful of last minute tasks. The rest of the commitments are friends wanting to see us before we go and various board and diocesan meetings that cannot be missed. Thankfully those are able to happen this week to accommodate us.
Our son has been contacting us to ask if there is anything he needs to purchase for us that we may not have room to carry in our luggage, giving us good information regarding the grocery stores and pharmacies in the area near our long term stay accommodation and offering us financial assistance if we run out of cash and credit toward the end of our stay. That last offer is most unlikely to be needed, but for our artist son to finally be at a point where he can genuinely offer to assist us if necessary signals a huge change in his circumstances. Thank you God that he has sold paintings so far this year and is also gainfully employed at an excellent part time job. Our daughter in law is also being extremely helpful and we really appreciate that. It is great to see our kids being successful and willing to offer help if needed to these old codgers. As each little detail falls into place we are looking forward more and more to this longer term get away.
It is chilly and overcast today. There was a bit of rain early this morning and I know that because I was rudely awakened by an incoming text message at 6:35am. I forgot to turn off my mobile last night when I went to bed so it is my own stupid fault. It was from my early rising Thursday morning coffee buddy who had likely been up for at least an hour and a half before sending the text as she was on her way to her morning gym workout. She is older than I am, but physically getting into better and better shape. Her husband's doctor ordered him to go to the gym each week and so she is going and benefiting as well. Awesome!! And here I am just glad I can limp along for a few blocks without a cane. hahahaha
Last night we went to India House and had the buffet. It was much better than I remember it being when they first opened a few years ago. Buffet cooking quality, at least at some of the local Indian restaurants, is different than menu offerings, but this was most tasty. There were many options. I was surprised to find that my favourite vegetable dish came from the salad bar: a mung bean and sprout salad with bits of chopped tomato and not much added for herbs or spices. I loved it so much I had seconds. Yum!! I treated myself to TWO piping hot gulab jamin balls because they were teensy weensy, so I could get away with it. I drained off as much of the sweet sauce they were floating in as I could, so that helped cut the sugar ingestion too. We went with good friends from the church, younger...natch...SHE is the same age as our son....just a lovely couple. He is Irish and full of good humour and she loves books: Sci-Fi and religion and philosophy just like my husband loves, so they had a great time talking about books they have both read while her husband and I enjoyed chatting about the board meeting we are both going to tomorrow evening. I don't know when we had time to talk while we were all so busy stuffing our faces with yumminess, but the restaurant wasn't that busy so we were able to sit around for over an hour after dinner without being in the way. The staff couldn't have been kinder about our prolonged visit after the bill had already been paid. Bless them.
Now it is time for me to get some details lined up for tomorrow's duties: ordering prescriptions, getting my hair cut, the board meeting. My husband has almost completed his own chores related to the trip other than making last minute decisions about what clothes to take for sure. Yesterday we went on the hunt for a windbreaker shell for me...just the shell, no lining...as my current waterproof windbreaker is very hot and isn't light enough to fold into a size that will reasonably fit in either my carry on or handbag. After a long search we finally found a "shell only" windbreaker with a hood that is at least sprayed with a water resistant product so after I finished gasping at the price of the thing, I bought it and it is now folded neatly into my travel handbag. I am delighted. Looking at the forecast temperatures for our destination, I do not regret buying that lighter, unlined shell. The one I already had would suffocate me. It is great for fall, winter and spring in Vancouver, but way too hot for summer on the east coast of the USA. After I bought it I started realizing how many times in the past couple of years I could have used it right here at home, but kept making due with unsatisfactory substitutes. This little windbreaker shell is going to get a ton of use on both sides of the border.
Off again to set up for more chores. Today I want to deliver a bag of unused medications to a pharmacy that has advertised themselves as taking them after discovering yesterday that not every pharmacy here takes such things for disposal. That will get us out of here for a half hour and perhaps we will think of other away from home chores that don't need to wait any longer to accomplish.
Thus far the glitches this week have not been insurmountable and soon we will be winging our way south.
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